'We have to resolve' defensive fragilities - De Bruynepublished at 14:01 25 November
14:01 25 November
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Manchester City playmaker Kevin de Bruyne says "everyone is down about the five losses" but they "have to move on" to try to turn their performances around.
"I wouldn't say [it has been] dark, it has been a bit chaotic," the Belgian said. "I have seen so many people pass around the medical area, discussing who's playing and not playing. There has been so many people playing who shouldn't have been playing.
"The games against Sporting, Brighton and Bournemouth were all over the place. Before Tottenham it seemed all right and then we had a defeat.
"Yesterday was a bit quiet. Today I didn't see too much change. Everyone is a bit down about the five losses but we have to take it and move on."
Reflecting on City's defensive issues, De Bruyne added: "With the way we play, you have to accept there's more opportunity for teams to have a counter. You can't do high pressing and not leave space behind and at the moment, we're not dealing with this in the right way.
"We're always going to give a chance away but we're giving it away too many times. When they are coming in front of our goal it is basically a goal - we have to resolve that as soon as possible"
Can you ever rule City out of a comeback run?published at 13:58 25 November
13:58 25 November
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Are Manchester City still Liverpool's biggest threat to their first Premier League title since the 2019-20 season?
The Reds are eight points clear of City at the top of the table, following a run of losses for Pep Guardiola's men.
But can you ever rule City out of a comeback run?
"We will know in a week because if Liverpool beat them next weekend to go 11 points clear, there is no way back for City," said Don Hutchison on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "They are capable of putting a stretch of wins together, but 11 points is too big of a gap.
"If they can get their season back on track with a result at Anfield then we will all change our tune and say they are back, so it is a game that has enormous pressure for City."
"Next weekend is pivotal," added Glenn Murray. "The result will have a huge swing on the title race.
"Historically you know City can do it but they look so depleted at the moment."
Guardiola on navigating the blip and De Bruyne's futurepublished at 13:19 25 November
13:19 25 November
Katie Stafford BBC Sport journalist
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been speaking to the media before Tuesday's Champions League game against Feyenoord (kick-off 20:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Guardiola believes their current run of form "will pass" because "the desire is there to change it and we are going to try".
On whether he will make any changes to turn results around: "The players have played a lot of minutes. We have players who are injured. It's unusual. I think in the situation, we have to go direct to our principles - change less more than ever."
He said they "create a lot of chances" but are not scoring as much as they have in previous season. Guardiola added: "It is not normal that John [Stones] is our top scorer after Erling Haaland."
On relying too heavily on Halaand: "We are lucky to have Erling. Every game, he has three or four chances. One day he scores two or three."
He said City "will have to adapt" given their injury list if they want to start scoring more but disagreed with the argument that his side are getting too old to perform at a top level.
More from Guardiola on the run of results: "Our standards have to continue to be there - but they can also drop. Tell me of one team whose haven't after what we have done for many, many years? There's a lot of minimal factors that are the reason. If it was one reason I would take it, but it's not as simple."
He said he didn't expect to lose five in a row but the focus should be on the performances and not results. He added: "The beginning of the season was really good, but we are not consistent enough or solid in every aspect."
On Kevin de Bruyne getting back to his best after injury: "He's fighting to come back to his best. When Kevin can train fully, he will give us something because he's unique. It would make no sense if I said the opposite."
More from Guardiola on De Bruyne's future: "I don't know. That is up to Kevin - whether that is the end of the next one, or the next one, or the next one. Like David Silva, he will decide when is best for him and the team. He will not want to be in the position where he can't play every three days. When he's available, he has to play."
'Man City are quite vulnerable at this moment in time'published at 13:14 25 November
13:14 25 November
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Manchester City's struggles with physicality in midfield is leaving them "vulnerable" on the counter-attack, says former City captain Steph Houghton.
Pep Guardiola's side were hit multiple times on the break by Tottenham as they succumbed to a 4-0 defeat - and their fifth successive loss.
Losing Ballon d'Or winner Rodri to a serious knee injury has had a big impact on the side and they were also without Mateo Kovacic in midfield against Spurs, relying on 34-year-old Ilkay Gundogan instead.
Discussing Manchester City's difficulties on Match of the Day 2, Houghton said: "In terms of the game on Saturday, they started really well, they created a lot of chances, but when you play a Spurs team that are able to play the way they did on the counter, that is where Manchester City are quite vulnerable at this moment in time.
"On those transitions, in terms of physicality in midfield, we talk about Rodri and Kovacic has done really well this season, but in terms of that physicality they have really struggled in dealing with that.
"Sometimes it feels as though every chance teams are getting at the moment it is going in the back of the net. But, they are so experienced at this level in what it takes to win and hopefully they can bounce back in the next few games.
"It is very unlike Manchester City to be on this kind of form."
Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham - the fans' verdictpublished at 11:04 25 November
11:04 25 November
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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Manchester City and Tottenham, in which Spurs recorded a stunning 4-0 away victory.
Here are some of your comments:
Man City fans
John: Lethargic, lazy and leggy. The defence is a shambles. Gundo no longer the player he was - should not be starting. Foden way off form. Savinho struggling. Walker as captain is a joke. Rico Lewis not strong enough. I say give the youngsters a go - McAtee, O'Reilly, Wright and Nunes. They cannot be any worse than what is happening now.
Pedro: Disappointing result of course, but we had chances all through the match. We need to defend better as a whole team. Fitness levels need to improve and they will as the players coming back get fitter. Win on Tuesday is a must, and Liverpool will be tough, but not impossible. Pressure is also on them at home. In Pep we trust.
Geoff: Too many errors forced by Spurs. Excellent deep pressing and City did not have an answer, not even a long ball out when plan B was tried. Pep's low tempo possession tactics are finished as is this City squad. Time for big changes, but can Pep change his ways? I doubt he can.
Jon: There must be more to this than we know. Yes, certain injuries are a huge obstacle, but this squad have overcome obstacles before without anything even like this utter collapse in form. I could only speculate about what it is, but there is clearly something else going on.
Spurs fans
Oli: Fantastic stuff. How Ange managed to get the message across to the players in such a short period of time was very impressive. The in-game management was much improved. I think Ange has earned the right for a bit of inconsistency and we should now back him fully to the end of season minimum.
Matt: Maddison will rightly get the headlines, but what a defensive showing. Vicario immense and Dragusin, Davies and Bissouma in front of him brilliant. Bissouma deserves a lot of credit for a disciplined game after getting booked in the first minute, and you wouldn't think Davies was our fourth choice centre-back after that performance.
Kelvo: For too long Spurs have been spooked playing the biggest Premier League teams, being spineless over being outplayed. This was 90 minutes of assured and cohesive team performance unfazed by the, albeit recently impaired, Goliath opposition. We'd be top without capitulation at Brighton and wins vs Palace and Ipswich… how do we find that missing piece?
Robert: I doubt anybody saw this result coming, particularly after last weekend's insipid performance against Ipswich. To a man, Spurs were sensational and fully deserved the win. The quandary for Ange is how does he get the team playing like this every week? If he can crack that, we'd be a force to be reckoned with and that elusive trophy would arrive.
City's problem 'gone to a whole new level'published at 10:59 25 November
10:59 25 November
Chris Collinson BBC Sport statistician
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It was a similar story again for Manchester City against Tottenham.
They gave up just nine shots but a whopping 2.51 xG. They are giving up the best quality chances in Europe and pattern of play data shows their major problem is fast breaks.
City are currently facing 1.2 shots on the counter per game in the Premier League this season – by far the most they’ve faced in a season under Pep Guardiola.
This has steadily been a bit of a problem for City during Pep’s reign, but it’s gone to a whole new level this season.
The form of Erling Haaland has also changed significantly in recent weeks. He started the season on fire but for as hot as was in the first five games, he’s been cold in the last seven games.
'For the first time I would have real concerns about Manchester City'published at 09:14 25 November
09:14 25 November
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Premier League record goalscorer Alan Shearer says Manchester City are "not right all over the park" after a 4-0 humiliation at home to Tottenham brought about their fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions.
"There are so many things [wrong]," he told Match of the Day.
"It's not just not having Rodri, it's defenders not defending properly in one v one situations, they haven't got the press right.
"They are not right all over the park. It's not good enough, players not tracking their runners.
"There is plenty to work on. They are too open, there's no presence, no protection and they are far too easy to play against at this moment in time."
City travel to Anfield to face league leaders Liverpool next weekend and Shearer believes it is already a game they cannot afford to lose.
"It's a massive game," he added. "For the first time I would have real concerns about Manchester City.
"Over the past couple of weeks I would have said 'fine, no problem, they've been in similar situations where they have lost games, they'll bounce back' but I'm seeing too many worrying signs.
"If Liverpool were to beat Man City next week I think they'd find it really really tough [to win the league]."
Is 'intensity' key to toppling City?published at 08:48 25 November
08:48 25 November
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Former Premier League midfielder Don Hutchison says "the legs in some Manchester City's players have deserted them" and that is leading to a weaker team performance.
Saturday's defeat to Tottenham was was City's heaviest home loss since 2003 and it is now the first time they have lost five games in a row since 2006.
"The players are just getting that little bit older and against Tottenham they just couldn't get around the pitch," said Hutchison on the BBC Radio 5 Live Football Daily podcast. "There was no energy, no urgency and I was watching thinking how they are struggling massively.
"I never thought any of these players would struggle. The legs in some of the players have deserted them.
"The free signing of Ikay Gundogan in the summer could have been a potential masterstroke but he is now 34-years-old."
Ex-top-flight striker Glenn Murray added: "For four or five years, City have carried a cloak of invincibility and now there has become a blue print of how to beat them and that is through intensity.
"They don't carry too much speed in the team, so if you play with intensity and get at them, they can't seem to live with you."
Gossip: Man City target Zabarnyipublished at 07:50 25 November
07:50 25 November
Manchester City are interested in Bournemouth centre-back Illia Zabarnyi and the Cherries could sell the 22-year-old Ukraine international in the summer to raise funds. (Football Insider), external
''In eight years we have never lived this kind of situation' - Guardiolapublished at 20:10 23 November
20:10 23 November
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Man City boss Pep Guardiola speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live: "In this moment we are fragile defensively. We started really well as normal but we could not score and then after that we conceded. After that we conceded some more which is difficult for our emotions right now.
"In eight years we have never lived this kind of situation. Now we have to live it and break it winning the next games, especially the next one. Now we see things in one way, maybe in a few weeks we see it differently."
On if the players are struggling: "Of course. We are happy when we win and concerned when we don't win. It's normal. There would be a problem if they were not worried or I am not worried.
"We are not used to doing this situation but life is like this. Sometimes it happens and we have to accept it. It is what it is now and we will stand up and do it."
On technical issues: "I would say that it is not a question of tactics when you lose these types of games. There are details of course but this situation is how you react in some moments. And things are different when you lose three league games in a row."
On his new deal and feeling the challenge: "The fire is when you win a lot of games, which is better than when you are losing, but we accept this. We have to move forward and break it and try."
Manchester City 1-4 Tottenham: Did you know?published at 19:57 23 November
19:57 23 November
Image source, Getty Images
This was Manchester City’s heaviest home defeat in any competition since February 2003 - 5-1 loss against Arsenal at Maine Road.
This was the join-biggest loss of Pep Guardiola's managerial career (fourth defeat by four goals), with the Spaniard now losing to Tottenham more often than any other opponent (9).
Man City 0-4 Tottenham - send us your thoughtspublished at 19:29 23 November
Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies
Foden 'forever grateful' to Guardiola for helping him 'mature' as a playerpublished at 12:00 23 November
12:00 23 November
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Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden says he "couldn't have asked for a better coach" than Pep Guardiola to help him develop into the player he is today.
On Thursday, Guardiola signed a two-year deal to keep him at the reigning Premier League champions and Foden was asked about the influence the Spaniard has had on his career.
"When I made it to the first team, I couldn't have asked for a better coach than Pep to improve me as a player and make me find that final push I needed to mature into the first team," he said.
"Definitely working with him when I was younger was massive for me to become a man at such a young age and step into the first team.
"That's where a lot of trust is involved. I spoke to him a couple of times (early on) and I knew his intentions and what he needed from me."
Despite some impressive cameos, it took a few seasons for Foden to become an automatic starter for City. Unlike other young talents, he was also not sent out on loan to advance his development, instead biding his time at Etihad Stadium.
"I just had to remain patient as, at the end of the day, I was playing with world-class players who were in front of me - there was no reason for me to be playing at such a young age," he said.
"I trusted in the process and trusted in Pep, believed in everything he was telling me. I just put my head down and tried to become a better player in training and I can see now that I am getting the rewards from that.
"I'm forever grateful for the opportunities he gave me and I'm just happy with where I am now."
Sutton's predictions: Man City v Tottenhampublished at 11:03 23 November
11:03 23 November
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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.
For week 12 he takes on The Farm singer and Liverpool fan Peter Hooton.
The Farm's new single, Forever & Ever, is out now and their new album, Let The Music (Take Control), is released in May 2025.
Sutton's prediction: 3-1
It is safe to say Pep Guardiola has severely irritated the rest of the footballing public by extending his contract with Manchester City.
You can just imagine the groans from Liverpool, north London and the red half of Manchester, because they know how dominant City have been under him.
City are not playing well at the moment, which is why they are on this run of four straight defeats. People have been looking at them as if the wheels are coming off, but they are still second and only five points off the top.
I do think Pep's new deal will give them a boost, and I am expecting them to bounce back.
Tottenham have also been described as a 'crisis club' this season but they are still only three points off third place.
The table is so congested that anyone in mid-table who wins a couple of games in a row is going to be right up there, but I don’t see Spurs getting anything at Etihad Stadium.
There will be goals in this game, because Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou will not change his approach. He has already beaten City once this season, in the Carabao Cup, but I think Pep will come out on top this time.
Hooton’s prediction: 2-1
Spurs can be absolutely fantastic under Postecoglou, and play such swashbuckling stuff. I love watching them, but you just don't know what you are going to get from them.
As for City, well just like Arsenal against Nottingham Forest, this is a must-win game for them, before we play them at Anfield next week. I think Pep will make that clear to them, and they will get back to winning ways.
Image source, Getty Images
